Machine for automatically weighing tacks



I 2 SheetsSheet '1. Q

(No Model.)

J. KEITH. MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY. WEIGHING TAGKS.

,No. 474,777. Baie'nted May 10, 1892.

2 Sheets-Sheet (N0 Modem -J. KEITH. MACHINE FOR AUTOMATIGALLY WBIGHING TASKS.

o. 474,777. Patented May 10, 1892.

A UNITED STATES PATENT 0FFICE.'

JEREMIAH KEITH, OF NORTH MIDDLEBOROUGH, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES E. GARDINER AND DAVID E. RANNEY, OF RAYNHAM,

MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY WEIGHING TACKS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 474,777, dated May 10, 1892.

Application filed December 9, 1891. Serial No. 414,453. (No model.)

10 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JEREMIAH KEITH, of North Middleborough, county of Plymouth, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Machines for Automatically Weighing Tacks and other Articles, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings,is a specification,

like letters on the drawings representing like,

parts.

In tack manufactories the tacks and nails are put up in small packages of different sizes, the quantity being determined by weight. In putting up the tacks or nails in packages it is now customary to weigh the tacks and then put them in the wrapper or package. These operations are carried on by hand, and in order to package the tacks or nails cheaply enough to meet the demands of a competitive market cheap help must be utilized. Such class of help is usually careless, so that sometimes the packages contain more and at other times less than the quantity required.

This invention has for its object to construct a machine for packaging tacks, nails,

'&c., by which the tacks are automatically weighed and delivered to the packages or Wrappers.

In accordance with this invention, the tacks, nails, or other articles are placed in a suitable hopper, and means are provided for discharge ing the tacks, nails, &c., therefrom, which, as herein shown, consists of mechanism for vibrating the hopper. A tack-receiving pan is provided, which receives the tacks, nails, &;c.,

delivered from said hopper, and a weight or equivalent device is employed for holding the said tack-receiving pan in its normal position to retain the tacks until a sufficient or predetermined quantity have been deposited therein, when it is overcome and the tacks are discharged. A discharging weight or equivalent device is also employed, which is moved in one direction by the contents of the tackreceiving pan and in the opposite direction by the weight, which is utilized to hold the said pan in its normal position,said.discharging-weight operating to hold the tack-receiving pan in its abnormal position until overcome by the other weight. This dischargingweight is provided mainly for the purpose of giving the tack-receiving pan an opportunity to become completely discharged. A suit-1 able gate is provided for the hopper, which operates to close the outlet of the same when the tack-receiving pan is not in position to receive the tacks discharged from said hoppe'r-as, for instance, when said pan is discharging its contentsand for the purpose of accurately timing the parts, so that the gate will be closed when the tack-receiving pan is thus moved out of its normal position, it is connected indirectly, or it maybe directly, with said pan that its operation may .be governed by the movement of said pan.

Figure 1 shows in perspective a machine for automatically weighing tacks, nails, and

the like, embodying this invention; Fig. 2, a sectional detail to be referred to; Figs. 3 and 4, modifications to be referred to.

The base A has erected on it several uprights which support the operating parts.

The hopper, as herein shown, is made up of two separate receivers, one of which, as b, is pivoted at h to the upper end of the upright a, and the other of which, as c, is pivoted at c to said upright a, the axis of the pivot c of the receiver 0 being at right angles to the axis of the pivot 19 of the receiver b. The receiver 1) is inclined and has an outlet at its lower end, and is provided with several spurs b which aid in separating the tacks which are placed in the receiver. A lever is provided, the lower endof which is pivoted at or about midway its length at d, the upper end of said lever, as d, terminating just beneath the bottom of the receiver 1), and the lower end of said lever, as d being provided with a pin d which follows in a cam-groove d of a wheel or disk d pivoted at d to an upright on the base. As the disk 01 revolves, the lever (Z01 is vibrated and the upper end thereof, striking against a flat spring 6 secured 'to the under side of the receiver 19, operates to vibrate the said receiver on the pivot Z). A lug c is secured to the rear side and at one end of the receiver 0, it having on its under side a pin 0 which enters a recess 0 formed just beneath the outlet of the receiver 1), so

that the tacks on leaving the receiver b will fall upon this convex-surfaced plate. By means of this plate, shaped as shownand described, the tacks are spread to all parts of the receiver as it is vibrated. On the interior of the receiverc and extending longitudinally along the bottom thereof are ribs 2, which serve as guide-ribs for the tacks to pre- 1 .vent them congregating together after havmg been spread by the spreader 0 The receiver c has an outlet at its lower end, as shown, and a gate e is provided for said outlet, which, as herein shown, consists of a bar having inturned ends or ears, by means of which it is pivotally connected to the receiver- The gate 6 is adapted to be raised and low? remain until overbalanced by the weight f i This weight is used for the especial purpose of retaining the tack-receiving pan in its abnormal position a suffieient length of time. for git to completely discharge its contents, and

ered to close or open the outlet, as desired- The gate 6 is connected by a link 6 toone end of a lever e pivoted at a and to said lever atthe opposite side of its pivotal connection a suitable weight 6 is attached, or the .said link e passing down through a suitable TI herein denominate this weight 1' or any equivalent device adischarge-weight. An upright a is provided, which serves as a stop for the beam f when the tack-receiving pan f is in its normal position.

lever e may be otherwise controlled. A link (2 is also connected to the lever e at that side of the pivotal connectionv opposite the link 6,

guide (2, secured to a beam f, pivoted at f to the upper end of a standard a. The beam f is adapted to be moved or tilted on its pivot,

and a stop 6 is secured to the link 6 which is engaged by the upper end of the guide 8 when said beam f approaches its elevated or normal position, and thereby lifts the link e turning thelever e on'its pivot and lowering the gate (2, and when said beam f descends or assumes its abnormal position, the said gate 6 is allowed or caused to rise and close the outlet of the receiver 0.

A tack-receiving pan f is pivotally con- I nected atf to a yoke or frame f secured to one end of the beamf, and upon the opposite side of the pivot f a weight f is adjustably arranged. A stop f is secured to the upper edge of the tack-receiving pan f to prevent said pan being turned upwardly on its pivots, and to prevent said pan from being turned downwardly on its pivots the lower edge thereof is adapted to strike against the lower edge of the yoke or framef as shown in Fig.

2, yet between these stops a certain amount of lost motion is provided that the pan may "tip or turn slightly on its pivots.

A delivery-chute 9, having a contracted terminus, is provided, into which the tacks A pan h is secured to the base A,'which is provided with suitable bars or supports h at a short distance above the bottom thereof, upon which the wrapper orpackage g may be placed, said pan serving to catch and hold any tacks that may escape from the wrapper or package.

A weight, as therein. represented as a ball, is contained in a trough-shaped guideway 'L',

secured to the beam f adj ustably, as shown. 7

The weight 2' is made quite small and is adapted to move from end to end of the trough,ac-

i been delivered to the tack-receiving pan, sufficient to overcome. the weight J, the said beamf will be tilted on its pivots f and the weight 2' will roll along the trough to the extreme right-hand end thereof and will there were this weight emitted a portion of the contents of the pan might be discharged, when it would return to its normal position to receive some more tacks from the receiver 0. Hence I have herein shown a hand-wheel j, c0nnected to the disk 01 by a belt j, as a means of rotating said disk; but any other suitable means may be employed. It will be seen that as the disk d rotates the receivers 17 c, which constitute the hopper, are vibrated and the tacks delivered to the tack-receiving pan f ,1. and when a certain quantity have 'been de-j livered, sufficient to overcome the weight f said pan will descend, and .by the indirect connection of the gate e with the beam f the gate at such time will close the outlet of the receiver 0 to prevent tacks from-being discharged during the time that the pan is. out

of its normal position. As soon as the tacks have been completely discharged the said pan .returns to its normal position and the gate is lowered or opened.

Referring to Fig. 3, I have represented the beam f as provided with an upright 1i substantially over its pivots f, and on said upright a weight n is adjustably secured. With this construction, when the beam f is in its normal position, with the tack-receiving be moved into a position at the right-hand V 'shown in Fig. 2.

WVhen the tack-receiving pan is in its normal position,I prefer that the discharge-weight shall lie at the centerof gravity or in the line of gravity, so thatit will have no direct eitect on the beam, that its weight will not have to be overcome by the contents of the pan; but I do not desire to limit myself to such normal location of the discharge-weight; nor do I desire to limit my invention to any particular construction of discharge-weight, as it is obvious that many forms may be used which will come within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Instead of the particular construction of hopper herein shown any other suitable hopper may be employed, yet one madevin two parts vibrating at right angles to each other possesses the advantage of insuring equal spreading of the tacks.

By employing the gate which when open lies beneath the receiver, or substantially so, the danger of the tacks obstructing its movement is obviated, yet I do not desire to limit my invention to any specific construction of gate.

I claim 1. In a machine for automatically weighing tacks, nails, &c., a tack-delivering hopper, combined with a tack-receiving pan and a weight for holding said pan in position to retain the tacks until overcome by the weight of the tacks deposited therein, and a discharging-weight to assist in retaining the tack-receiving pan in its abnormal position to discharge the tacks, substantially as described.

2. In a machine for automatically weighing tacks, nails, &c., a laterally-vibrating tackdelivering hopper, and means to vibrate it, combined with a tack-receiving pan having an open delivery end, and a weight for holding said pan in position to retain the tacks until overcome by the weight of the tacks deposited therein, substantially as described.

3. In a mach ine for automatically weighingtacks, nails, &c., a tack-delivering hopper, a gate therefor, combined with a tack-receiving pan and a weight for holding the said pan in position to retain the tacks until overcome by the weight of the tacks deposited therein, and a discharging-weight to assist in retaining the tack-receiving pan in its abnormal position, substantially as described.

4. In a machine for automatically weighing tacks, nails, &c., a tack-deliverin g hopper and an automatically-closed gate therefor, combined with a tilting tack-receiving pan having an open delivery end and a weight for holding said pan in position to retain the tacks until overcome by the weight of the tacks deposited therein, and connections between said pan and gate to maintain thelatter open when the pan is in normal position, substantially as described. 1

5. In a machine for automatically weighing tacks, nails, &c., a vibrating hopper, combined with a tilt-ing weighing-pan having an open delivery end, its pivoted supporting-beam, and a discharging-weight movable between its pivot and the pan, substantially as described.

6. In a machine for automatically weighing tacks, nails, &c., a vibrating hopper, combined with a weighing-pan which receives the articles from said hopper, a pivoted pan-support beam, a weight adjustable thereon, and a discharging-weight or equivalent device moved in one direction bythe weight of the contents of the pan and in the opposite direction by the weight on the beam, substantially as described.

7. In a machine for automatically weighing tacks, nails, &c., a vibrating hopper, a gate therefor, combined with a tilting weighingpan, and connections between said gate and pan, whereby the latter is adapted to operate the former, substantially as described.

8. In a machine for automatically weighing tacks, nails, &e., a vibrating hopper, .a gate for said hopper, combined with a weighingpan whichreceives the articles from said hopper, a pivoted pan-supporting beam, a weight adjustable thereon, and a discharging-weight or equivalent device moved in one directlon by the weight of the contents of the pan and in the opposite direction by the weight on the beam, substantially as described. 9. In a machine for automatically weighing tacks, nails, &c., a hopper consisting of two movable tack-receivers, one arranged toreceive tacks from the other, combined with a tack-receiving pan, and means for holding it in its normal position until a certain quantity of tacks have been deposited therein, substantially as described. I

10. In a machine for automatically weigh ing tacks, nails,&c., the hopper consisting of two pivoted tack-receivers, the axes of the pivots being at right angles with relation to each other, and means for moving said receivers on their pivots, combined with a tack-receiving pan, and means for holding it in its normal position until a certain quantity of tacks have been depositedtherein, substantially as described.

11. In a machine for automatically weigh-' ing tacks, nails, &c., a hopper consisting of two vibrating receivers, one arranged to receive tacks from the other, and a spreader contained in the second receiver, combined IOC with a tack-receiving pan, andgmeans for holding it in its normalposition until overbalanced by the weight of the tacks contained in said pan, substantially as described.

12. In a machine for automatically weighing tacks, nails, &c., a hopper, and a gate for it combined with a tack-receiving pan, a p1voted beam supporting it, a weight adjustably I and provided with a limiting-stop, as shown, 1 a weight, as f, adj ustably arranged on said arranged on said beam, a discharging-weight, as and a trough arranged on said beam contam ng salddlscharging-weigh t, substantially as described.

13. In a machine for automatically weighmg tacks, nails, 850., a vibrating hopper, an

automatically-movable gate, and an autom atically-movable'tack-receiving pan and a f reely movable discharging-weight for said pan, combined with a delivery-chute contracted at its end, and the pan h, substantially as described.'

14. In a machine for automatically weighmg tacks, nails, &c., a vibrating hopper, a gatetherefor, and means to automatically close'said gate, combined with an automatically-movable tack-receiving pan having an open delivery end and which controls the opening of said gate, and a delivery-chute, substantially as described.

15. Ina machine for automatically weighto this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. I

ing tacks, nails, &c., a tack-delivering hopper, "combined with a pivoted beam having a yoke at one end, a tack-receiving pan having an open delivery end and pivoted to said yoke pying a position beneath said hopper, or substantially so, to open the exit, and when ascending to move upwardly across the edge of and to close said exit, substantially as described.

17. In a machine for automatically weighing tacks, nails, &c., a vibrating hopper, a gate therefor, and operative mechanism for said gate having as a component part of it a loosely-connected link, whereby the gate may be moved unrestrained by the vibrating hopper, substantially as described.

In testimony WhereofI have signed my name JEREMIAH KEITH. Witnesses:

BERNIOE J. NOYES, EMMA J BENNETT. 

